Free A Stellar Affair by Laurel Richards Page B

Ardra, but some older version of her. The woman’s hair was thick and a lighter blonde, and there were touches of gray running through it. The skin beneath her eyes was wrinkled and a little shadowed, as if she was tired or had recently been sick.
    Jack moved closer and entered into this woman’s body, adopting her countenance as his own. He stared out from her eyes, using her image as a shield. Ardra was sitting at a nearby table.
    He called her name gently, and she turned to look at him. “Yes, Mom?”
    “Where are we right now?” he asked.
    She tilted her head, clearly thinking this was a strange question for her mother to ask. “We’re in the kitchen.”
    “I know that,” Jack said, “but where is this kitchen?”
    “Mom, are you okay? Are you feeling sick again?” She was already on her feet and walking forward to take her mother’s arm.
    “I’m fine,” Jack assured her. “Maybe a little tired.”
    Ardra still looked worried. “We’re home, Mom. This is our house. Why don’t you sit for a while? You know you’re supposed to take it easy, and you’ve been on your feet baking all day.”
    She settled Jack, in her mother’s guise, into a chair before she sat opposite him.
    “I know,” Jack said, “but I like to do it. Besides, I feel much stronger today.”
    This seemed to make Ardra feel better.
    “You were telling me about your visit with your friend, Estelle,” Ardra reminded him. “You said she gave you an earful about her new gentleman friend.”
    Though Jack was pleased he had gotten her talking, he decided to dodge this question. “Of course. But before I go on about that, why don’t you tell me what you’ve been up to? Have you met anyone nice lately?”
    He watched her rub her eyes and felt her push against his influence. The sensation was one of growing pressure behind his forehead, but he concentrated harder and waited until her resistance waned. She dropped her hand and looked confused.
    “No, Mom,” she said. “You know me. I have my own little group of friends, and they suit me just fine. Why do you ask?”
    “Oh, I don’t know.” Jack decided to take a chance. “I guess I’m worried about you. It doesn’t do you much good to be cooped up with me all the time. Have you thought about doing any traveling? You could go off-world and see what’s out there. Where’s the nearest planet from here?”
    “I don’t want to travel by myself. Besides, we can’t afford it.” She studied him closely, and Jack could feel her fighting him again. “Why this sudden concern about me?”
    He attempted to tighten his mental hold on her. Patting her arm, he looked at her sadly.
    “I’m not going to be around forever,” he told her. “I want to know that I’ve prepared you for the future. It’s a lot easier to be strong if you have others to turn to. You should trust people more.”
    He felt Ardra’s sorrow for a moment, but she seemed to study him.
    He presented her with a playful smile. “Why don’t we play a little game? Let’s pretend you and I are rich with credits, and we want to take a trip together. Where are we going to go from here?”
    She stayed silent.
    “Come on,” Jack said. “We’ll dream up a whole make-believe vacation for ourselves and fly away. Won’t that be fun?”
    “No.” Ardra glared at him.
    Too late, Jack sensed her resistance again. He heard the thought running through her mind that something was wrong. Although he wasn’t sure how it had happened, she had become aware of his influence again. Maybe there was a characteristic or mannerism that was giving him away.
    Ardra jumped up and knocked over her chair. There should have been a loud crack as it hit the floor, but instead everything swirled into fog. He opened his eyes to his house in the same moment that she awoke.
    Having once again slipped out of an altered memory, she was disoriented at first. She whispered his name, but he wasn’t sure if it was a curse or a plea for help. Then she